Title Analysis of Infiltration of Outdoor Particulate Matter into Apartment Buildings
Authors Bang, Jong-Il ; Jo, Seong-Min ; Sung, Min-Ki
DOI https://doi.org/10.5659/JAIK_SC.2018.34.1.61
Page pp.61-68
ISSN 1226-9107
Keywords Particulate Matter ; Airtightness ; Air Leakage ; Pressure Difference
Abstract Recently, concentration of fine and ultra-fine particulate matter(PM) has been increased in KOREA. The increase of PM in KOREA is due to increase of domestic industries and yellow dust from china. PM is known to cause diseases such as dyspnoea, asthma, arrhythmia. Since PM is harmful to human, KOREA Ministry of Environment(ME) warns people to stay indoors when the outdoor PM concentration is high. However, prior studies has shown that indoor PM concentration can be relatively high when outdoor PM concentration is high due to infiltration of PM into buildings though leakage areas. In this study, airtightness, indoor and outdoor pressure difference and PM 2.5 & 10 concentration were measured in an apartment complex to observe PM infiltrating into building. Field measurement was conducted in newly-built apartment buildings to avoid the influence of indoor PM which can be generated by residents. The airtightness test was conducted to identify the leakage areas of the apartment, such as electric outlets and supply/exhaust diffusers. The airtightness test result showed that the air leakage area of the building was dominant in buildings envelop. According to indoor and outdoor pressure difference measurement result and PM concentration measurement result, it can be concluded that outdoor PM can infiltrate into indoor by leakage areas when wind is blown toward the apartment. As a result, pressure difference formed by the external weather condition and architectural characteristics such as the airtightness in building can influence PM to infiltrate into buildings. In further studies, I/O ratio, stack-effect, infiltration and penetration factor will be considered.